Questions for the candidates

Below are some questions that I'm putting to the Redruth South Division candidates. I'll post up any responses that I get. If you have any other ideas for questions please post up a comment - or contact the candidates directly (really they don't bite!)

By the way sorry that I've not yet put up contact details for Ray Wyse, the UKIP candidate. The only reason I haven't is that I haven't been provided them yet and couldn't manage to find them for myself using the power of Google. If anyone out there can help please get in touch.

Here are the questions I'm posing ...

Questions for all candidates

Reasons for standing

Why did you decide to stand for Cornwall Council in Redruth South division?

What qualifies you to be a good Cornwall Councillor for Redruth South?

Views on Local Government & Democracy

Do you believe that Councillors’ allowances are too high, too low or about right?

Usually there is a low turn out at Local elections in Redruth. How do you think you could engage people more to get involved in local politics?

If you are elected, how will you keep in touch?

Welfare Reform

The Government is reducing welfare benefits and the Council has decided to charge people who previously received Council Tax benefit. Do you agree with what they are doing? How do you think this will impact the community in Redruth South? What are your ideas for dealing with these impacts?

Priorities for Cornwall & Redruth

Are you satisfied with the way Redruth Town Centre is developing? What do you think could and should be done to invigorate the town?

What do you see as Cornwall’s main priorities over the next 4 years and how can Cornwall Council help to address them?

Cornwall Council has frozen Council Tax again for next year and is planning to make some budget cuts in order to balance the books. This looks likely to mean reductions in some Council services and result in some job losses. Do you agree with the decision to freeze Council Tax for another year?

What do you consider should be the main principles underpinning financial strategy for 2014/15 and beyond?    

Health and Social Services

There is a policy agenda to bring Social Care and Health services together. What do you see as the main risks and opportunities for Cornwall arising from this?

Law & Order / Public Safety

What are your views on how policing works in Redruth South? How could it be improved?